An Israeli airstrike on north Beirut of Lebanon killed at least 20 people on Sunday. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed the deaths. The ministry said Israel targeted the village of Aalmat, north of Beirut and far from the areas in the south and east of the country where the Hezbollah militant group has a major presence.
5 siblings, some of them deaf, among those killed
The latest airstrike on Beirut's village comes hours after a report emerged in which it was claimed that an Israeli military targeted the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre left at least seven people dead, among them five siblings, three of whom were deaf and mute.
The rise in Tyre's death toll came as Israel's air force carried out airstrikes on different parts of southern and eastern Lebanon on Saturday hours after Beirut's southern suburbs were pounded by jets, destroying several buildings, state media reported.
The Health Ministry said late Saturday that the airstrikes on towns and villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley and Baalbek-Hermel province left 20 people dead while those in two villages in south Lebanon killed 11 people, including five paramedics.
Lebanon's Hezbollah group said it fired dozens of rockets on northern Israel and shot down a drone over south Lebanon. The group said that Israel's air force struck the area where the drone crashed.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military.
The Health Ministry said the strikes on Tyre late Friday night also wounded 46 people. It added that remains also were found in rubble and DNA tests will be used to identify the victims.
Youssef Jundi, a Tyre resident, said the airstrikes destroyed several buildings in the coastal city. He said that his long-time neighbor and friend, Ghazwa Dabouk, was among those killed. Dabouk's sisters Elissar, Rabab and Fidaa, who were deaf and mute, were also killed in the airstrike, together with Dabouk's brother Ali, who had autism.
The Israeli military said it attacked the Tyre offices of Hezbollah's intelligence department as well as a command and control center for the group in the city.
3,000 people killed so far in Lebanon
More than 3,000 people were killed in Lebanon during the 13 months of the Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel the day after Hamas' surprise attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, ignited the war in Gaza.
Hezbollah and Hamas are both allied with Iran.
For nearly a year, the conflict was mostly contained to the areas along the border between Israel and Lebanon. The conflict dramatically escalated on September 23 with intense Israeli airstrikes on south and east Lebanon as well as Beirut's southern suburbs, leaving hundreds dead and leading to the displacement of nearly 1.2 million people.
(With AP inputs)
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